Oscars Music Governor Blasts ‘Shocking’ Decision to Push Original Score Off Live Telecast

variety.com:

Jon Burlingame editorIt isn’t often that an Academy governor publicly criticizes the Academy itself, but that happened today when music-branch governor Laura Karpman issued a statement condemning the Academy’s plan to drop the music-score Oscar presentation from the live telecast on March 27.She was sharply critical of both the decision and the process.

Her statement, issued this morning on all her social media accounts, reads: “I am shocked that the officers of the Academy denied the Board of Governors the opportunity to vote and participate in the decision to exclude the music branch in the live broadcast.“This is literally a wound in the heart of the music community,” she continued. “Thank you to the many members of the music branch who have spoken out.

I hear you loud and clear. I stand with you.” Karpman, a governor of the 402-member music branch since 2016, declined any further comment.

But her stance is widely supported within, and outside, the music branch (which consists of composers, songwriters and music editors).Karpman — composer of “Lovecraft Country,” “What If?” and the upcoming feature “The Marvels” — is a multiple Emmy winner and co-founder of the Alliance for Women Film Composers.